
Unreported Allergens
The consumption of meat and poultry products containing ingredients of public health concern, such as Undeclared Allergens, may result in adverse health outcomes for certain individuals. The most common undeclared allergens -- wheat, shellfish, eggs, fish, peanuts, milk, tree nuts, and soybeans -- account for 90 percent of all food allergic reactions and are the sources from which many other ingredients are derived. People may have adverse reactions to other substances as well. Consumption of some ingredients, such as sulfur-based preservatives (sulfites), lactose, FD&C Yellow 5 (Tartrazine), gluten, and monosodium glutamate (MSG), may result in an adverse reaction in certain susceptible individuals, yet they are not considered allergens. FSIS guidelines are aimed at ensuring product labels declare all ingredients, as required in the regulations, and that products do not contain undeclared allergens or other undeclared ingredients.